The Changing Narrative Paradigm: Analog to Digital and what that Means

A narrative paradigm shift has occurred, the catalyst being the technology shift to digital in virtually all form of communications. Kuhn suggests that human experience will qualitatively evolve under the influence of a new invention. The technological shift from analog to digital is one of those events in the world that affects our basic mode of communication and has had a direct effect of how we “organize” our world. The current generation of “young” people (35 and under) are functionally different and the current turmoil and disconnect seen in both the classroom and our culture is the result of two paradigms at war. This conclusion is based observations made while teaching writing and video production over the past twenty years at the college level. The shift to a digital narrative paradigm signals a group of changes caused by the technological advancement that has recast how we communicate and ultimately how we think.

Keywords: Narrative, Digital, Paradigm

Stream: Knowledge and Technology

Presentation Type: Paper Presentation in English

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Michael Niederman

Chairman, Television, Columbia CollegeChicago, IL, USA

Michael Niederman is an award winning film and video maker and is currently the chair of the Television Department of Columbia College, Chicago. His award winning projects include the film The Paled Man, which was screened nationally, the documentaries Voices from Northern Ireland, shown on the PBS network, Presumed Guilty and Shades of Grey both of which have been aired on WTTW/Chicago. In the summer of 1996 he served as the Host/Interviewer of Reel Time, a thirteen part series focusing on student film/video makers and their works produced at and broadcast on WYCC/Channel 20, Chicago. He works extensively in the corporate and educational media production, writing films and tapes for a wide variety of organizations and has written and lectured extensively on television, popular culture, emerging narrative forms and the role of digital technology in shaping our culture. Niederman received his undergraduate degree from Grinnell College, did graduate work at New York University and received his MFA in Film and Video from Northwestern University.